cranebump

Heh. True. What was I thinking?:-)

Outbreak does

I think we've hit the nail on the head right here. A lack of memorable content, and the zone TF's are slogs. Since none of them are part of a requirement to get a badge power (i.e., TF Commander), there's little reason to spend the time there. I mean, let's be honest - who among us would bother with Cit and Synapse if they weren't part of the badge chain? That said, isn't Doc Quarterfield worth a ton of merits (is it 112?). You'd think you'd see more frequent runs, just for that.

You can do it, by directing people to the other connected arcs. I’ve thought of doing it, more than once, but didn’t want to use up multiple arc slots to tell 2 versions of a single story. There are plenty of multi arc stories, of course. But branching requires at least 3 AE slots. Big expenditure to present the illusion of choice. If this is your goal, however, by all means do it.

I’m not saying replace the jets. Just offer another option for people who don’t want to use them. I know we have jet packs (they’re what I use with my non flyers). I just think you’ll get a bit more play in the zone if people can get around more quickly. Since the name of the game for a lot of players is that next level, taking a slow jog around a massive zone is not the shortest distance between two points. (though I imagine a lot of folks now would tote TT's there to get from mish to mish [and mish TP + ATT] - so maybe transport doesn't really matter anymore)

Well...if I knew what we needed, I'd certainly say so.:-)

I'd replace the spouts with location-TP portals. The name of the game these days is about speed, so offer the quicker option. If people want to take the trad route around the zone, they still can (as with the other zones). I can't offer anything substantive on content, since I haven't run any of the normal stories in ages. I've only gone there to run Doc Quarterhell. I may have to put this on my agenda, since I'm now curious what I've forgotten.

Nice! I've been fiddling with bases back on Excel. I did notice, though, that our own base has no redside TP? I'm not an expert by any means, but I added this: All that red...hard to miss.:-)

No one asked for it… No one demanded it... Deep inside, they wished for the opposite... But... Here it is anyway… Devil Bat - The Nature of EEEEEVIL! (EEeeeeEEEeEEEeeee (slow fade...) EEEEE! e…e…eee (and one to grow on) Day Quatro-Quatro (and some change)... Sometimes you find yourself in a malaise (not that bad-guy dude, but the actual condition). Like…you’re just floating on an endless sea… Or maybe, you’re just floating in this little pool, wishing it were an ocean. Okay, honestly, maybe you were just looking at murky-ass water in Perez Park (so you can use the abbreviation “PP” and laugh like a juvenile. Heh..pee-pee…(sigh) In any case, you’ve realized that (a) you don’t really know what you’re doing, because (b) you’re just too stupid. BUT: Because of (b), you think you’re some sort of philosopher-king or something. So you take the deep dive into the question: What is the TRUE nature of my struggle against EEEEeeeeeEEEeEeEeE..ee.ee.eeeevilllll..? (ill…ill…ill….) [As nearby Hellions look on, wondering, Why is that dude pretending to echo?) In any case, you’re left with one recourse: to understand your enemy, you must BECOME your enemy. Only one thing left, then: GIVE YOURSELF THE BIRD! Whoa, whoa, whoa. I just wanna be SORTA bad. But I ain’t dancin’ in one o’ these cage thingees in here, okay? There, was that so har...Would you get this fiery red ball out of my eyes, please? So now, we bad. Not like Michael Jackson bad (shaMON!), but sorta ZZ Top bad. Except we not nationwide (and not like insurance, but, like, not well known or anything). In FACT: that’s the point. I want the WHOLE bad guy experience. Which means I need MORE than just the bird. I need some special help (which happens a LOT when you’re a special boy, like me). Only one thing to do now… Okay, so, um…anybody know how this thing works? There a..button I press, or…do I…(stick of dynamite?) What the hell guys, I… Ohhh…NOW I remember… This thing again. Derrr…(I get the junior time stone...yay...) Fine then. Let’s do some villaining. FROM THE TOP! Our first task: Now THAT sounds like a good deal! Let’s start there! Okay, first thing I like about goin’ Red. Their love of irony: Really? (snort) Okay… Of course, while I’m here, I REALLY need to look the part. Hmmm, how best to achieve? Well, I DO want to win Arachnos’s favor, so: Let’s fly their colors: Whaddaya think, Ricky? You dig my number? Um…Rick?...Mister Rick? Of course, villains are all menacing looking and stuff, so…let’s tryyyy… EEEEVILLLLLL! (KAFF!) Urgh…these things are smoky! In the end, seems my usual vigilante togs are enough. There’s just one problem… I CANNOT GET THIS STUPID HELMET OFF! Well, as a villain, I can only say BAH! And drive on. SO off we go! First off, lemme say this. When Arachnos sends you somewhere: You travel in style, my friend… Once there: The definition of a good start. And my Arachnos brothers? We’re making “Snake-n-Bake:” An’ theyyy helped! Even so, there's vibe here. 'Cause sometimes? Sometimes my Arachnos bros aren’t, em, very observant: Or polite. (I’m getting my ass sliced with a scimitar (excuse me, a sssscimitar), and you’r tellin’ me it’s NOT in gear? ) After a while, all the backup seems a bit overkill: Sheesh guys…Do you not think I can handle this? Becomes rather routine rather quickly. But that’s Arachnos efficiency. Only Imperial Stormtroopers are that precise. (What’s that Arbiter Rick? An insult? Really? But I thought that…oookay…but you know you Arbiters DO wear white outfits with helmets and…I’ll shut up now…) Anyhoo, with my edgy red tights and welded-on Spider helm, plus the 1/3rd of a snake skin under my belt (those mace-wielding yahoos took the rest), I’m starting to feel I already fit in. I mean, look at me with this guy - my “fellow,” nefarious baddie: Hi…we’re villains…(pst…I can recommend a good cream for that sunburn ya got there…It’s NOT a sunburn? Yeee…) My gal Kalinda liked “my” work so well, she’s sent me to do some extermination work in one of the Arachno-, er, that is one of OUR bases. So, off we go! Okay, to be fair, it’s only strange because lavender interacts really weird with their skin. And honestly, some people LIKE the smell of bear sh*t! (none that I know, but, hey! This is the ‘everything’s okay’ era!). Regardless, these guys ARE a bit creepy: Now doesn’t THAT remind me of my honeymoon! (Er…Crane? You’re not supposed to interject) Sorry... Yeah, creepy. So creepy, in fact, that, well, let me put it this way: you know how, like, you’re not supposed fight dishonorably. Like, don’t kick someone when they’re already down and stuff? Well… I just don’t believe in that right now… Okay so this: Is actually the result of a good Jump Kick (which actually works at this level). Now, what it LOOKS like is my Cirque du Soleil routine, where I balance an anthropomorphic snake on my nostrils. (which, now that I think about it, is way cooler than jump kick). Deeper in we go, where we soon discover that: Pappa does NOT love Mamba Blade. my GOD, man - that thing's as big as a...a...that thing's BIG! Ultimately, I discover what may be their lair/HQ/bachelor pad/love nest. How do I know this? Oh...I have my reasons... Eventually, all this ex-snaker-nation leads to an encounter with this guy: And yes…I am special. Mom said I was. Right she took me to that specialist. Actually, MY question is, who’s the dude on the right? I mean, we know about Ssssssyrus. But can’t we get a name for “Snakey Redshirt #43?” Otherwise, he might as well be standing there spouting, “Yeah! Simple!” (I’m calling my fan up there, “Guy.” I mean, he’s obviously the plucky, comic relief…) So, now that I’m a villain, how do I start a boss fight? FIRE IN THE HOLE! (what, I’m supposed to charge right in and give them a chance? I think not.) I make short work of Syrus and his crew (sorry, Guy - this what happens when you choose the wrong friends). I am rewarded with glowing praise from Ms. Kal: So, a good start. But it’s just that. Only a start. Ol’ DB intends to learn more about the dark side (but not Darkseid, bc that could be hazardous). Oh course, first things first: SOMEONE GET THIS GD HELMET OFF ME! Redfully yours, THE DUSK!

Not if he does this: Or maybe said name change happens sooner?

Sooooo, assuming my new toon, Spolcyc, were to, um, slightly resemble a certain leader of a group of young mutant super beings under the tutelage of, say, a bald dude with bitchin’ mental powers, how would I best make this work? (Ahem) Hypothetically, of course. I’m thinking I absolutely need: -eye blastage of some kind - leadership - some form of martial combat skill of the kicky and/or punchy variety. -a crippling fixation on a woman who will eventually turn into a mad, cosmic entity. (Optional):-)

The main thing I remember is the doctor telling me I had a “pristine colon.” I wanted to brag about that, but it’s hard to imagine an audience that would be impressed by such an achievement.

Guardian Arch Mage of Agony. Damn that’s a mouthful. Reminds me of this title I gave a PC in a DND campaign - 2nd assistant librarian of Omerton. Yes. He was the assistant TO the assistant (as he always reminded me).:-)

The US Army taught me Russian. Then afterwards put me in assignments where it was not needed. (Shocker, right?)

As someone who's had more than one colonoscopy, I can tell by the after-pics that proc'ing was absolutely done, but I was not awake for it (which may or may not be a good thing?).

Okay, gang. After having a crappy experience with a slow play group on Excel (namely a specific player, whose global is now blocked), I've decided I really need to put my money where my mouth is, concerning story play. I therefore intend to to be more active about recruiting regular ol' mish teams on Torch. Most of my Rider toons have not hit 50, so I don't know which ones I'll return to (if any). I might go back to L1, and run Torch versions of my Excel server toons (as I've done with Acrobattle). Anyhoo, that, and the continuing adventures of Devil Bat, will be more at the forefront. I've got a ton of AE arcs out there already, so probably less of that. In any case, I'll look for y'all out there on Torch -- the Trad Play server! (hopefully?)

That does make more sense. But I wouldn't want to wait til the 30s for the signature blast. The only early eye beam is from Rad, right? Guess if you wanted it early, you'd grab just that, then work through the fighting pool? That would sorta suck from a play perspective though. Speaking of, as someone who often skips Epics, save for anything that grants me Acc, End, the occassional DR, is there any reason why we have to wait so long to access them? Are they that much better than anything else? Any reason some of them couldn't be ancillary pools from the get go?

Are we sure this isn’t a Bananarama homage?:-) (feels like Cyc would be a Sentinel, maybe Energy/WP?)

After an interminable hiatus, we have discovered that Devil Bat has been operating UNDERCOVER! That’s right. To really get attuned to “the criminal mindset,” DB has decided to take a stroll on the unmild side. He promises to return VERY soon to relate his adventures. Provided he can extract that spider armor. That he found lying around next to some strange slag thingy. That attacked him, somehow welding the damned helmet on his head. After which he… Sorry…already too many spoilers. Just watch this space, y’all. Rest assured, that deaf, dumb and blind kid WILL be (mostly) back. P.S. Never prepay for an Uber with a Luddite. It’s a scam. They don’t even OWN cars, man…(sigh)

Did we say “beacon?” No, no. We smelled BACON. Nice, crispy ghost bacon.

I think it should summon a really big quinjet that divides into smaller pods (and some of the pods have ray guns that go FREEEEEEEM!) [my opinion of group fly can best be illustrated by the fact that I turn it off via Null the Gull for every character I have]

It's got to be doable, since KR has so many "Police v. Thugs" encounters going on (including some right near Blue Steel). It's just a matter of settings, I assume? As far as my general take on this discussion: I'm wondering whether or not we could do something with Perez Park. Maybe a TF that clears the Skulls and Hellies out of there. I know we have Clocks, CoT and Lost there, too, so the question might be, what's drawing them all in (other than the fact there seems to be no law enforcement presence whatsoever)? This nugget from the wiki gives a scenario: " The biggest problem the park has, however, is that it's become a hotbed of the gang wars in Paragon City. Two groups of thugs, the Hellions and the Skulls, have focused their conflicts here. Both of these gangs are connected to more powerful organizations, but no one has been able to conclusively determine their benefactors. One thing's for certain, though; anyone caught in Perez Park at the wrong time is likely to get caught between these two vicious groups during one of their many skirmishes. Sounds like an opportunity for a big, involved arc, with several different groups involved.

I'll just step in here and say I don't want Wind Control. Farts must fly free.

How in the hell did you get the alt versions of me to have different costume colors? That's impressive. This is something I didn't know we could do. Nice! This is such a great idea. Kudos. However, I am KR Devil Prime. Let's just get that straight.:-) Enjoyed it! Notes and such:

I could not find the arc! Maybe I did the search wrong or something. Is it Attack on Stahlheim?